Saturday, December 28, 2013

I flew a bit the M size but will wait for the S size to get a larger idea for a more accurate test report.

Gin Carrera S 92 all up on the S size with a Woody Valley GTO
harness, here i am flying the Carrera in a relatively weak to turbulent
conditions sometimes especially on the higher layers, with 10 km/h north
wind, making it interesting for discovering the ability of the flown
gliders. Having flown the M size at 98 all up, i found the S size at 92 to have a more direct handling of course ! And a bit more alive.
But the glider was completely pressurized and it wasn’t susceptible to
deflation whatsoever like the lesser loaded M size i flew earlier.
Describing the handling is light on the first part with a 50 % more
tension after 40 cm of travel. It is lighter than the Delta 2 SM with
same loadings. And i could also confirm the same agility in thermals. Both gliders are efficient in climb with no diving in turns.
I only could sense a slight float ability for the D2 in very weak
thermals -0.2m/s …But the Carrera felt more floater in headwind glides
or on its ability in searching forward for thermals ! Strangely the Atlas had that superb ability as if this technology is indeed present on those new generation Gin gliders. If you ask me which is the most comfortable in overall conditions ?
The Delta 2 feels more compact above your head, but when the conditions
get rough, sharp surges must be controlled to prevent the collapses.
On the same conditions the Carrera moves even in small conditions
letting its pilot immediately presume that it is more alive. Actually i
found that even in strong and bumpy conditions the Carrera doesn’t have
that sharp quick reaction in turbulence like the D2. It just roll a bit
more, but in a smoother way, letting its pilot feel that it is still
above his head giving him that increased passive safety feeling. Both are pitch stable, and the roll is more pronounced on the Carrera.
The movements are different from a sharp reaction like the Trango XC2,
and closer to a Cayenne 4 with more ease and prompt brake control.
The glide is similar or slightly better in lift lines than a Trango XC2
or a D2 with the ability to cut through the valley breeze even better
than some 2012 ‘C’ gliders …Letting the Carrera free to surf the air
without too much braking is the way to go. However the top speed is only 11 km over trim speed, even with the pulleys over-passing.
In this configuration, the Carrera seems solid and usable with the
first part of the travel which is light but the second part of the
travel is a bit hard. Pulling a bit on the A’s in full accelerator
mode showed that an average pull is needed to get the leading edge
lowered a bit but without any sign of collapse. Gin may have reduced the top speed for certification purposes. Big ears with the outer A’s are easy to pull .The opening is required by the pilot. Big ears with B3 are easy doable and practically has the same sink rate as the outer A’s but the opening is quite faster. 360’s get you down quickly .No real surges in getting out. Wing overs on the S are nice to make and could be very high. Conclusion : Over the years, gliders has evolved in design and technology. Marketing also has caught up. Seeing and flying many high-end B’s, it seems logical that this leap in marketing strategy will eventually be present. The Carrera is for me a superb glider that has everything a good intermediate pilot could wish for, except for the top speed… The ‘psychological B rating effect’ could have a positive impact on the ‘C’ category pilots flying the Carrera. There’s no ‘B’ available yet that has the same into wind performance or the same roll understanding… One season on a high-end B, is needed before jumping on a Carrera. Happy landings, Ziad

Small clarification:The Carrera got a B certification. What does that
mean ? ...Only that it has very good reactions and behavior in a
simulated collapse in calm air .
This is an excellent glider that must be respected as it is.
A pilot with enough experience and + 75 hours / year , can (extract) safely its performances.
The others with less experience will be busy keeping it controlled
overhead in strong conditions and won't eventually use it's performance !

That's why there's a lesser AR glider and manufacturer guidance that can
allow many pilots to go for the Atlas which in my humble opinion is one
of the best well balanced B glider of the moment ! as it has enough
performance to satisfy nearly all Low B and some high B pilots.

Difference in comfort the air between Carrera M, Mentor 3 S, Chili 3 S,
goes in favor of the M3, then the Carrera and Chili 3 are comfortably
equal in punchy air with better authority control for the Carrera to
place it exactly by the brakes. (must be loaded at 98 - 100 on the M )
To compare a Carrera M to a Mentor 3 or a Chili 3 would be unfair
,because the Carrera will show it's potential in head wind glides and
move forward like high aspect ratio gliders do...

The Carrera is intended for experienced pilots who needs the
psychological safety of a B with the superb performance of a C glider.

The Geo 4 is the light version of the Buzz Z4. I found it very similar in flight which is superb !! despite the lighter cloth.Handling , brake pressure , comfort, pleasure in thermals, light speed bar ....really superb combination of light and efficient low end B. A must to try !See Buzz Z4 for a full review if needed.

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GLIDE MEASUREMENTS ! NUMBERS and obsession !!! :-)

Looking at the glide numbers, is like seeing a beautiful food dish just before tasting it ....Knowing that all measurements are made in calm air(no thermals), and in those conditions we practicably "don't" fly.Thermal flying and transitions are made in moving air,and in those conditions a glider can change from its good performance on paper to less performance in real air and the opposite also.

Glider X that has a glide of 8.5 on paper, could reach the other side much higher than glider Y that have a glide of 9.0 on paper.Why? Because the ability of glider X in head wind glides and moving air is much better than glider Y in converting those bumps to lift and still moving forward ,rather than ,when hitting those lifts glider Y stops and dive loosing the glide.

Glide measurements are pure marketing ,but they still are interesting in putting some spices under the pilots nose ;-) .

Glides wingtip to wingtip in different conditions will show gliders ability much better.And that's why i do the videos.May be we should have a coefficient in efficiency rather than a poor "glide number" on paper. ;-)

BEST GLIDER

Comparisons are only to get an idea what the glider will be and feel like.Some like it soft on the brakes ,others find it too jumpy...But the best glider is the one that each individual pilot will have the most fun with.For some it could be the glider that out-climb or out-glide your club mates....But for most ,it is the one that will give you a smile and a satisfying happy feeling immediately after you land.That's the glider you must choose.So there is no best glider rather than best feeling for a glider.Fly SAFE,Ziad.